Sunil Kumar Batra
New Delhi, Jul 22 (BVI) If you intend to travel to the US, ensure that you have read all communications, advisories and stern warnings issued by the US Embassy/Consulates in India from time to time.
The latest among those advisories is as follows: “The length of time an international visitor is allowed to stay in United States is determined by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer upon your arrival, NOT your visa expiration date.”
This comes close on heels of the US Embassy in New Delhi issuing a warning that all Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form.
It said that “applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct” before they sign and submit.
Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.
In fact, it reiterated that effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law.
This has led to anxiety among Indian nationals, especially students and workers who are seeking visas for studying and work in the US.
The Embassy has been issuing or posting such communications on its social media handle “X”.
In a series of communications, the US Embassy of India recently said that committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won’t just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas.
“The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws,” it added.
In the latest post, it issued a stern warning, saying “anyone arrested for assault, domestic violence, or other crimes while in the United States, his or her U.S. visa may be revoked, and the holder may be marked ‘ineligible’ for future U.S. visas. A visa is a privilege, not a right – one that can be revoked if you break the law.”
The statement serves as a reminder to Indian nationals, especially students and workers heading to the US, that visa approval is not a guarantee of permanent entry or stay.
It underscores the importance of compliance with US laws, including immigration, academic, and employment regulations.
To ensure that no one breaks the law or submits wrong information, the US Embassy said U.S. Visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued.
“We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all U.S. laws and immigration rules – and will revoke their visa and deport them if they don’t.” (BVI)
